The Spanish conductor Pablo Heras-Casado was one of the most impressive guests during the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's recent music-director search. His concert of Debussy and Ravel was a marvel of elegance and dashing excitement. The search ultimately netted Fabio Luisi — something of a coup for the orchestra — but it's good to have Heras-Casado back for another guest appearance. He's conducting the Berlioz Symphonie fantastique and, with French violinist Renaud Capuçon, the Brahms Violin Concerto.

Formerly staff classical music critic of The Dallas Morning News, Scott Cantrell continues covering the beat as a freelance writer. Classical music coverage at The News is supported in part by a grant from the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation. The News makes all editorial decisions.